Ron Paul & Iowa caucus

With the Iowa caucuses less than 2 weeks away, a new poll indicates that Ron Paul sits atop the field of Republican presidential candidates in Iowa – the state that holds the first contest in the primary and caucus calendar.

According to an Iowa State survey, 28% of Iowa GOP caucus goers say Paul, the longtime congressman who's making his third bid for the White House, is their first choice for the Republican nomination, with 25% backing former House Speaker Newt Gingrich. The survey suggests that when it comes to the commitment of support, Paul may have an advantage.

"What our poll says is that 51% of Paul's supporters say they're definitely backing him," said James McCormick, professor and chair of political science at Iowa State and coordinator of the poll. "The percentage for the next two candidates is much weaker, at 16.1 for Mitt Romney and 15.2 for Newt Gingrich."

Obama vs. Boehner

Boehner recently made public a letter urging Obama to order the Senate back from their holiday break to take part in further talks. The Democratic- controlled Senate rejected this idea and Obama agreed with them. The House ended up approving of a resolution supporting a yearlong extension of both the payroll tax cut and emergency federal unemployment benefits. About three measures have been approved that are set to expire December 31. These measures have slammed into a conservative roadblock in the House. No one knows how to stop the logjam. The Republicans are calling for a one-year payroll tax cut extension. Boehner has decided to ask Obama to appoint negotiators. If we don't act on this we might have a major economic and political fallout. Boehner is in favor of the Senate plan ( a two month long extension) and most rank and file members are against it. The Senate's two month measure would reduce the deficit by approximately $3 billion. The two month extension was agreed on as a fallback position.

House Passed Payroll Tax Plan

Today the House of Representatives passed the Republican favored payroll tax cut plan. The bill passed with a 234-193 vote. Now the senate will have it choice to oppose or accept the bill. The bill will try to help prevent taxes that would affect millions of Americans. The bill also included the approval of the Keystone XL oil pipeline. The pipeline had been in much debate over the recent years. This pipeline would help send oil from northern Alberta, Canada all the way to Texas. Many representatives opposed the bill because of the environmental consequences. The senate will help decide the outcome in a few days.
Source CNN and MSNBC

House defies Obama on Payroll Tax Bill

A Washington political showdown took place Tuesday, as the House of Representatives passed a Republican plan that would extend the payroll tax cut and speed the process for government approval of the Keystone XL oil pipeline. The bill, passed on a 234-193 vote, now goes to the Senate, where it was unlikely to pass due to strong opposition from Democratic leaders. Also the White House says President Barack Obama will veto the plan if it reaches his desk. The White House made a statement urging Congress to “do its job and stop the tax hike that’s scheduled to affect 160 million Americans in 18 days.” “The American people are asking, ‘Where are the jobs?,’” Speaker John Boehner said. “The House is listening, and we’ve passed a large bill that contains many of the priorities of our caucus and the White House.”

Source: Washington Post

Newt Gingrich-Jon Hunstman Debate

In a debate Tuesday afternoon loosely modeled after the "Lincoln-Douglass" debates, Newt Gingrich and Jon Hunstman participated in a free-flowing discussion of foreign policy and national security. The format was designed with only suggested time limits of five minutes (with each candidate free to use more or less time as desired), and very broad topics (the "moderator", who really just provided the conversation with general direction, simply stated things like "what are your views on China"). It was a format which enabled the candidates to speak at much more length and with more clarity on the issues than they would in the typical format, and although the candidates rarely "debated" as we would typically think and have seen several times so far through the campaign, it was a very good discussion of the issues, and one which both Gingrich and Hunstman will pursue more of as the campaign goes on. At one point, Gingrich stated that were he to win the party's nomination, he would challenge Barack Obama to "seven three hour debates" of that format. The moderator followed by telling Gingrich that he would "bet $10,000 dollars" that Obama would not take that bet, making fun of the comments made by Mitt Romney in the last GOP debate. Whether we see more debates of this format or not, seeing these two illustrate their vast knowledge on several different issues was very good, and would be a challenging yet productive tool for each of the other candidates to show that they really have the depth of knowledge to be President of the United States.

Gingrich's Vow to Stay Positive

After engaging in a verbal back-and-forth with Mitt Romney, Gingrich is now vowing to "stay positive" and avoid attacking fellow Republican presidential candidates. Yesterday Gingrich and Romney "sniped at each other over their records in the private sector". Now Gingrich says he wants to "stay positive" so that Obama won't end up getting re-elected. By staying positive Gingrich claims that the republican nominee will be able to emerge from the primary season "un-bloodied" and have a better chance against Obama. Gingrich wants to stay focused on real issues like economic and job recovery. He also vowed to "disassociate himself with any independent political groups that run negative ads against other candidates", and advised people not to donate to any Super PAC that produces negative advertising. Even though Romney may be attacking Gingrich because he is now the runner up, Gingrich remains calm, cool, and collected.

Source: CNN

GOP Payroll Tax Package - Will It Pass?

The GOP members of the House have unveiled a package which intends to couple an extension of several high-priority items, including the payroll tax holiday and unemployment benefits, with provisions aimed at rounding up conservative support. Most Democrats think that it doesn't have a chance to pass with the Democratic-controlled Senate. The Republicans think they can pass the legislation on their votes alone, but they are trying to round up some Democrats nonetheless. The House Republican plan is a broad package that includes a one-year extension of the payroll tax cut; an extension of unemployment insurance; and a two-year extension of the “doc fix,” which prevents cuts in reimbursements to doctors who see Medicare patients. All of those are items that leaders of both parties as well as the White House have said that Congress must pass before it adjourns later this month. Where the parties differ is on how to pay for the cost of those items. Some lawmakers of both parties have expressed concern that extending the payroll tax cut would threaten the solvency of Social Security; GOP leaders say their plan would address those concerns by cutting spending elsewhere in the federal budget and directing those savings to the Social Security Trust Fund. They are planning to vote later this week.

US out of Iraq

Barack Obama sat down with the Iraqi prime minister and talked about how there will be no more United States troops in Iraq by December 31. I have a feeling that this is not the end for US involvement in the affairs of Iraq because really the country is just a big powder keg poised to blow at any moment.

This is interesting in and of itself but it also marks some changes in the Obama strategy. Obama is getting into campaign mode as the election draws nearer and he's trying to put certain things into place as well as highlight his major accomplishments and just other stuff he did. In this way it is easy to give him credit but still hard to praise him. Especially for "ending the war". Because he really just stuck to George Bush's timeline so it's like, ok, good, you did George Bush's thing.

JACKSON ROBERTS

Romney's New Weapon

As the Romney campaign, suddenly endangered by Gingrich, is trying to regain ground, Ann Romney is being sent out to offer voters a compelling, three-dimensional portrait of her husband. Mrs. Romney, 62, has appeared, over the last week, at four events in Iowa, New Hampshire and Washington, offering what she calls “the other side of Mitt that you never hear about.”

Ann is drawing particular attention to an important asset in a race against Mr. Gingrich, especially in conservative states like Iowa: the Romneys’ unblemished marriage of 42 years. One of Gingrich's biggest vulnerabilities in this race is his marital history - he has acknowledged having had extramarital affairs and has been divorced twice. Mrs. Romney has brought women to tears describing how her husband has stood by her throughout her battle with multiple sclerosis, which once left her depressed and fatigued for months at a time.

“He is there, he is steadfast, you can count on him,” Mrs. Romney told the women. “He won’t abandon you in the hardest times.” The message was not lost on the voters in the room. “It says a lot about his character,” said Connie Schmett, who attended the event. “If he is not going to abandon his wife, he is not going to abandon his country.”

Is Romney's campaign merely grasping at straws, or will this “new weapon” prove to be successful? The American people want a president of good character, someone who's personal life will reflect their political life, especially after the events which led to the end of Cain's campaign.

the Latest on Newt and his GOP Compadres

Things are going just swimmingly for Newt Gingrich, who has lately surged ahead of the pack. He has gained recent support in South Carolina, but an even greater win victory was Iowa--a state where the economy is their top priority--something Gingrich is well prepared to deal with. Due to a recent poll from ABC/the Washington Post, we can see that the three frontrunners are Gingrich with 33%, Romney with 18%, and Paul with 18%, leaving candidates like Bachmann, Perry, Santorum, and Huntsman in the dust.

Sources: ABC, NPR, Washington Post

Obama's Speech

“This country succeeds when everyone gets a fair shot, when everyone does their fair share, and when everyone plays by the same rules, ” Obama told a crowd packed into a school gymnasium in Kansas. Obama’s speech was the most direct condemnation of wealth and income inequality, and the most expansive moral defense of the need for government activism to combat it, that Obama has delivered in his career. Using the type of populist language that has emerged in the Occupy protests around the nation, Obama warned that growing income inequality meant that the United States was undermining its middle class. He said it “gives lie to the promise that’s at the very heart of America: that this is the place where you can make it if you try.” This speech was notable for its more direct emphasis on inequality itself as a moral scourge and as a threat to the country’s future. He cast the question of whether government can and should act to combat inequality as a referendum on American values and our national identity.

Trump Debates

Once again, Donald Trump has made his entrance into the political realm with his loud criticisms and honest statements about the current candidates in the presidential race. He plans to hold a Republican debate just before January 3 before the Iowa caucuses. Though Mr. Trump may be a "great showman" as some of the GOP candidates have stated, his involvement in the race especially with the upcoming debate may do more harm than good in the Republican strategists' opinions. Many of them have urged candidates to refuse to attend the debate saying that "It's not good for the party. It's only good for Donald Trump." They think it is a bad idea to attend a debate held by someone who said that they may potentially run for president in the next election as an independent. As of yet, only two of the candidates have refused the debate: Ron Paul and Jon Huntsman. It is still unknown whether or not Mitt Romney will accept the invitation. With Newt Gingrich rising in the polls, Romney needs a boost to get him back to the top. Could this debate be beneficial to the party with the caucuses just weeks away? Or will it only bring the candidates on the brink of destruction?

New York Times: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/06/us/politics/gop-strategists-fret-over-trump-debate-circus.html?ref=us

Who will Cain supporters support next?

As big new rolled in this week as Herman Cain officially dropped out of the race for presidency while being accused of many sexual allegations. Newt Gingrich has gained many of new support from those who supported Mr. Cain. Gingrich's support has helped him tremendously in recent polls. But who else can benefit from Cains drop? Ron Paul has gain support over recent weeks which could have been the result of Cain's falling. This question still rooms, as many believe that major candidates like Rick Perry and Mitt Romney will not gain much support from former Cain supporters. Many believe that Cain supporters will disperse and not choose one major candidate to follow.

Newt Gingrich's Rise

Just as Herman Cain has removed himself from the race due to the allegations against him, Newt Gingrich is running very strong, showing in the latest Gallup poll to be a whole 15 points ahead of Mitt Romney. The poll, conducted from December 1st through December 5th, shows Newt Gingrich at 37 percent, with only Mitt Romney at 22 percent totaling double digits. As Herman Cain's supporters decide who they will now support, those numbers could change, but as of now Newt Gingrich looks very strong. Will he end this race as the GOP Nominee for President? Right now, I would be very hesitant to say that. Throughout this race, many different candidates have had their time in the sunshine: Rick Perry was at or very close to the top soon after he entered the race, Herman Cain was nearly equal with Mitt Romney for a long while before the sexual allegations against him brought him down, and Mitt Romney of course has been very steady in his position, seeing neither major drops in support nor major rises. With the previous rise and downfall of Perry and Cain, I would be very hesitant to declare Gingrich the next GOP nominee for President. With that said, however, Newt seems to be consistently gaining support and approval from the GOP base, and if he's able to keep himself in check and keep his skeletons in the closet, he has a very good chance to end up as the party's nominee.

Sources: Gallup.

With Cain gone, where will his supporters go?

After several sexual allegations against him, Cain has decided to end his presidential campaign so that his family won't have to endure any further pain from any more false allegations. With Cain out of the race, where will his supporters go? We are still waiting on an endorsement from Cain. He said that he "would weigh his options carefully and not rush to endorse one of his former opponents". While we wait to see who Cain will endorse, his rivals are waiting with open arms for his supporters to shift to them. Newt Gingrich, the current forerunner, is considered "a favorite to get Cain's endorsement". Ron Paul says that he is "a natural fit for the Cain crowd". Bachmann also argues that she is attracting Cain followers. "I think part of it is because people see that I'm the tea party candidate in the race. They saw Herman Cain as an outsider, and I think they see that my voice will be the one that would be most reflective of his." She believes that trailing candidates like herself have a chance to change their fortunes. A recent CNN poll says that 38% of Cain's followers will likely go to Gingrich. Even though Paul and Bachmann are hoping to benefit from Cain's supporters, it makes more sense for Gingrich to get most of Cain's supporters.

Source: CNN

Who's Fired?

Ron Paul has a message for Donald Trump: You're fired as a GOP presidential debate moderator.

The Texas congressman's campaign said today he will not participate in a December 27 debate because the participation of Trump is "wildly inappropriate."

"The selection of a reality television personality to host a presidential debate that voters nationwide will be watching is beneath the office of the Presidency and flies in the face of that office's history and dignity," said Paul's national campaign chairman in a statement.

Trump had a statement to Paul saying that Paul "has a zero chance of winning wither the nomination or the presidency."

Trump said he was glad neither Paul nor Hunstman were attending the debate because he didn't feel they would win anyway. and went on to say that because he has a lot money he would be the right person to lead the country out of economic chaos or at least to moderate a debate.

Fairness for Democrats

As Democrats struggle to retain control of the Senate and retake control of the House, they are searching for issues to frame their campaigns. With President Obama's low approval ratings, due in large part to poor economic conditions, Democratic candidates won't want to focus on his record. Republicans at least have Obama as a straw man around which to build their campaigns.

The most potent theme that the party has to offer is the issue of fairness, specifically in the area of dealing with economic recovery. Democrats can claim that as Americans struggle to survive in this economy, the party has championed policies that aim to provide support for the middle class in hard times.

The first issue is taxes. Republicans have pushed for Congress to extend President George W. Bush's tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans. Even though taking this step would only aggravate the deficit problem, the GOP has stood firm. This tax position creates room for Democrats to challenge Republicans as being more supportive of helping the wealthy than average Americans. Second, is unemployment insurance. Throughout the past four years, Republicans have presented roadblocks to the extension of these benefits even as Americans have struggled with extraordinarily difficult economic challenges. While many Americans don't like government, many understand and support the need for temporary assistance as people try to make ends meet. This is an area where Democrats can talk about a specific policy and win support for spending from an electorate that might be philosophically opposed to big government. Finally there is health care, an issue that is likely to be part of the campaign if the Supreme Court issues a ruling on the constitutionality of the law before the election. One of the biggest contributions of the program is to extend health insurance to over 30 million Americans who don't have it. Fairness is the theme that offers a struggling Democratic Party the best opportunity to improve its standing in Congress.

This ties into what we have been studying – elections/campaigns for not only the president, but for Congress as well. Congressional candidates are not blamed for the mess of the economy (as president Obama is), but, there is not much they can take credit for to boost popularity – normally incumbents (the person currently holding an elective office) of the House win 60% of the votes and are re-elected. For example, the Super-committee was not able to meet the deadline to cut 1.2 billion from the deficit, and as a result, may have a more difficult time getting re-elected.

The End of the Cain Campaign?

Herman Cain was accused once more of having an affair with a woman, Ginger White, who claimed they had a relationship which lasted 13 years. He, of course, denied these accusations as he has with every previous one. Despite his denial, these accusations have taken a toll on his campaign and the numbers of people who are still loyal to him. Fellow Republican Jon Huntsman voiced his opinion saying that he thinks Cain should drop out of the race while Michele Bauchmann said it raises "urgent questions about his republican convictions". In a speech he delivered at Hillsdale College, he attempted to focus on his foreign policies and other issues without mentioning at all about the allegations or taking questions. This disappointed his audience and is disappointing his audiences all across the country. It seems fairly clear that it would be best for him to drop out, but his campaign manager Mark Block says that there's "no way he's dropping out." Many of his supporters, however, are beginning to turn to New Gingrich in expectations of Cain's drop out of the race. Cain continues to deny the allegations made by Ginger White by saying that it was merely a friendship relationship, nothing more. It is still unclear what will be the outcome of Cain's campaign.

The End for Herman Cain

Well, there it is again--another accusation against Herman Cain, but this time it seems to be much more far-reaching, much more convincing. A Georgia woman named Ginger White went on a local Fox affiliate and spoke openly about having a 13 year affair with Herman Cain. According to White, Cain would fly her to places where he was speaking and lavish her with gifts. Cain, yet again, has flatly denied these claims, stating that he knew White but had no inappropriate relationship with her. Cain's resilience, however, seems to be wearing thin. Speaking to supporters today, Cain stated that he is 'reassessing' his 2012 bid for the Presidency. Although I'm still clueless as to who to believe in all the accusations against Cain, I do find it hard to believe that a woman would be willing to go on television and so blatantly lie about something this far-reaching and serious. However, Cain's constant claims that he is innocent seem sincere to me, and I'm having trouble believing that he is lying about all of this as well. Regardless of who's telling the truth, Cain's ability to weather this storm seems to be running on empty, and he seems to be getting a bit worn down by all of the defending he's having to do. The end certainly seems to be near for Herman Cain, that much is true, and if he has been telling the truth the whole time, it is a great tragedy that any one would go to the lengths which they may have gone to deface Herman Cain, or any other man for that matter.

Herman Cain reassessing presidential candidacy

Businessman Herman Cain told senior members of his campaign on a conference call this morning that he is reassessing whether or not to remain in the Republican presidential race. On the conference call Cain denies the allegations of an affair with an Atlanta woman named Ginger White, which came to light on Monday, but acknowledged that the “firestorm” had caused a rethinking. “We have to do an assessment as to whether or not this is going to create too much of a cloud, in some people’s minds, as to whether or not they would be able to support us going forth,” Cain said. He suggested on the call that a decision will be made over the next few days and told supporters that “if a decision is made, different than to plow ahead, you all will be the first to know.”

Source: CNN

What Demographics could help the GOP.

This past week Presidential candidate Mitt Romney campaigned in Florida and tried to gain much needed support of the larger base of Latino population. Romney targeted the Latino sect in Southern Florida in order to get more support. The GOP has little support in key demographics like the African-American population and younger voters. Romney and other candidates will try to gain support from other key demographics as their campaigns hit the road this week. In the 2008 election President Obama targeted young voters and the African American community. Demographics can clearly make or break a campaign for candidates.

Censorship Becomes Real

The PIPA (PROTECT IP Act) and SOPA (Stop Online Piracy Act) legislation is coming to a vote soon in in the House and Senate. These are proposals before Congress that give incredibly aggressive censorship controls to our government (acting on behalf of rights holders). The way copyright is currently protected on the web in the U.S.A. was established by the DMCA (Digital Millenium Copyright Act). The DMCA created the principle of ‘safe harbor’ for ‘service providers’ (like Google, Facebook, and Twitter). What ‘safe harbor’ means is that a site with content from its users doesn’t have to censor everything that is posted, so long as it acts in good faith to remove infringing content and links as they’re alerted to them. The PIPA and SOPA proposals turn that model on its head, restricting openness and imposing preemptive censorship. So if a users post links with copyrighted material on a site like Facebook, Google, or Twitter, the government could shut them down. Protecting copyright is a fantastic goal, but this legislation is a huge step in the wrong direction.

The Obama Campaign Has Begun

Today the Obama campaign made its first foray into paid advertising. An ad on tv appeared with Barack Obama asking viewers to pledge their support by viewing his website or calling the number that appeared on the bottom of the screen. In this ad Obama says the 2012 campaign is already underway. This ad is meant to recruit volunteers for his campaign. Another commercial that will be aired soon will be imploring viewers to become involved in his campaign. The Democratic National Committee has been purchasing air time backing the incumbent president. Recently they ran an ad slamming Romney for changing his views on issues like abortion and health insurance. This ad was released yesterday. This ad is the latest in a string of attempts by the Democratic National Committee at trying to portray Romney as inconsistent. By releasing this anti-Romney ad the Democrats reveal how they believe Romney to be the likely opponent to Obama in the 2012 election. The ad is 30 seconds long and is titled "Trapped". It's an ad saying that Mitt is two different men in one body. The ad gives examples of how he supports pro-choice and anti-choice, pro-health reform and anti-health reform. The ad is made in the style of an action movie trailer. Yesterdays ad wasn't the first time the DNC paid for advertising space to criticize Romney. Instead of focusing on the economy and creating jobs, president Obama and democrats are focusing on tearing down Romney.

Another Cain Accuser

A businesswoman accused GOP presidential hopeful Herman Cain of having had an affair with her that lasted 13 years. Cain upstaged his accuser's announcement, telling CNN a few minutes beforehand that her assertion was coming and was false. "This individual is going to accuse me of an affair for an extended period of time," Cain said. Cain said his wife's immediate reaction upon hearing of the accusation was, "Here we go again." This is the third women to come forward and accuse Cain for sexual harassment. However, this is not an accusation of harassment in the workplace -- this is not an accusation of an assault -- which are subject matters of legitimate inquiry to a political candidate. "Rather, this appears to be an accusation of private, alleged consensual conduct between adults -- a subject matter which is not a proper subject of inquiry by the media or the public. He said he had no plans to drop out of the race. Either this is a huge campaign smear, or Cain is lying.

Source: CNN

Gingrich Surges Ahead

It has been very exciting to watch the GOP candidates race for the position to duke it out against Obama in the upcoming election. This is partially due to the fluctuating polls for the candidates, and the highs and lows of their campaigns. Although it seemed like Romney was the head honcho among the republican candidates for a while, Gingrich has made a surprising surge to the front of the pack and is continuing to gain popularity all over the nation.

This proved legitimate when New Hampshire began to support Gingrich. And as a a newspaper reported this subject, one such New Hampshirian discussed Gingrich and the role that the president should play. "We don't have to agree with them on every issue," the newspaper wrote in an editorial that ran across the width of the front page. "We would rather back someone with whom we may sometimes disagree than one who tells us what he thinks we want to hear." This idea that a president should never be a people-pleaser but a real person with their own opinion has continued to rise in the state of New Hampshire at least, and may prove to be Gingrich's key to the presidency. "

"Newt Gingrich is by no means the perfect candidate," McQuaid wrote. "But Republican primary voters too often make the mistake of preferring an unattainable ideal to the best candidate who is actually running."

Source: NPR

Occupy Movement: More Trouble Than Change?

The Occupy Wall Street Movement has gathered very much attention and momentum, evidenced in one way by the frequent mentioning or references to the movement in the GOP Presidential Debates--that much is clear. However, the movement is becoming more and more of an issue. The Washington Post mentioned today that "there are sanitation hazards and drug overdoses, even occasional deaths and sexual assaults." The Post article asks the question "Is this an occupation or an infestation?" The trouble is that breaking up the protests is a very sticky issue. While local police forces certainly have an obligation to protect their people, they also have an obligation to follow the Constitution and give people their Civil Rights, in this case the right to Free Speech. Finding middle ground on this issue is certainly a tough problem for local officials, and already three civil rights groups have filed lawsuits on behalf of the protesters. How forces deal with these protesters, who say they'll go on through the winter despite the cold, will be crucial and could result in either an outrage over what many would claim to be unconstitutional control if they forcibly made the protests stop, or it could result in a rising death toll as protesters subject themselves to freezing and dangerous conditions. Obviously neither alternative is acceptable, but it seems that it will take a miracle at this point for any other result to happen.

Time running out for the "super-committee"

With time running out, senior Democrats and Republicans remained unclear Tuesday about the prospects of success for the so-called congressional "super committee". The 12-member panel has not yet found a deal to cut $1.2 trillion from the nation’s borrowing over the next decade, the minimum requirement outlined in the August debt deal that resulted in the creation of the powerful super committee. California Rep. Xavier Becerra, a Democratic member of the panel, told reporters this could be a "magical week" for the committee. "I think it can be done, but the clock is ticking," Becerra said. It simply "has to be a balanced deal." House Speaker John Boehner said there was no deal, but predicted that if "there is an agreement ... it can, in fact, pass." And as the committee members grope to find a way to fulfill at least their legal mandate without leaving their political bases feeling betrayed, a bipartisan group of senators and representatives will renew a call Wednesday for the group to agree to a much larger deal, a bargain to reduce the debt by as much as $4 trillion that would virtually require major entitlement program and tax changes painful to both parties.

Fluctuation in GOP Polls

According to a new poll in Des Moines, Iowa, views on four GOP candidates have shifted rather dramatically in as short as a month. Stats show that 20% of Republicans are in favor of Cain, 19% support Ron Paul, Mitt Romney is at 18%, and Newt Gingrich at 17%. The closeness of these percentages reveal the fine line that the Republican candidates are walking on in Iowa. It's going to be interesting to see who Iowa chooses once and for all.

On the other hand, Rick Perry and Herman Cain's overall campaigns are not doing as well due to the accusations made on Cain for sexual harassment, and the 'oops' moments for Perry. The percentage of people who are supporting Cain has dropped to 50%, as some people are calling his campaign more of a SHAMpaign. The closeness of these percentages reveal the fine line that the Republican candidates are walking on in Iowa. It's going to be interesting to see who Iowa chooses once and for all.

It seems like the ratings are fluctuating every minute for the GOP candidates… It seems like the only candidate who is consistent and solid is Mitt Romney. And if his competitors keep tripping over their own campaigns, he may be our next president.

Health Care Mandate: No Going Back

The Supreme Court is working on making it a requirement as a federal mandate for all Americans to buy health insurance. Where the money will come from to fund this, no one is quite sure. The government intends to cover more than 30 million Americans who cannot cover themselves. Most hospitals and clinics have high expectations for the reforms. They are expecting higher influx of government funds as well as more clients. With these expectations in mind, they are in need of a larger staff. "We are looking for new clinicians on a constant basis," said Jay Wolvovsky, the system’s chief executive, who said that hiring would stop if the law were overturned and federal funding were in doubt. The bill is widely unpopular, however, and many people think that it will be overturned. Even if it is overturned, people like Patricia Brown, president of Johns Hopkins HealthCare, feel that there should still be major changes. “If the law is struck down, health care reform will have to continue one way or another,” she says. For all the changes taking place, there are many areas where political opposition and economic constraints will play a critical role in determining just how much the marketplace will change over the next several years.

Gingrich's Jump in the Polls

Surprisingly, Newt Gingrich has surged and is now almost tied with Mitt Romney in the race for Republican Presidential nomination. According to a CNN International Poll released yesterday, 24% of republicans and independents say that they are most likely to vote for Romney while 22% say that they are most likely to vote for Gingrich. Gingrich is now only 2% below Romney. Gingrich's support has jumped 14 points since October. Romney's has stayed about the same. Cain is at 14% because of his 11 point drop from last month most likely linked to the sexual allegations against him. Romney, who started out in the lead, is at 12%. According to the poll, Romney and Gingrich are the two republican candidates with favorable ratings above 50%. The key difference between these two is electability. Gingrich is not as electable as Romney. But how has Gingrich jumped in the polls so much? One of the main reasons is his well-received performances in the presidential debates. The drop in support for Cain and Perry is going to Newt. A lot of what it has come down to is people don't want to support Romney so they support Newt instead.

Ruling on Obamacare

As anticipated, the U. S. Supreme Court will join 300 million fellow Americans in rendering judgment on Obamacare. But with this difference: The high court's judgment, expected next June, will be the judgment that sticks.The rest of us -- members of Congress and lower court federal judges included -- merely spout off with force and vehemence. We love the health care law. We hate it. It makes us sick, except when it excites rejoicings. The sole reaction we withhold from the law is indifference. The basic question set for judgement is whether the federal government may compel Americans to purchase health insurance. Opinions at the lower court level are divided on this urgent question. Some say yes, others no, which of course is why our highest court has to advise us who is right. Most observers expect the court to divide over the question, possibly five votes to four.

Republicans: A dangerous game

Compared with John McCain's campaign three years ago, the Grand Old Party has moved even farther to the right. Herman Cain, now leading some polls in the race for the nomination, had to clarify that he was joking when he said he wanted to build a lethal electrified fence along the entire border with Mexico. As for global warming, most Republicans say that there is no such thing, or that if the Earth really is warming it has nothing to do with human activity. Another candidate, Governor Rick Perry of Texas, has called global warming a “contrived phoney mess that is falling apart under its own weight”. The party’s shift on economics is no less striking. The big-government conservatism of George Bush’s presidency is seen not only as a mistake but as a betrayal. George Bush senior is remembered no more fondly. Didn’t his decision to break a promise and raise taxes lose the Republicans the White House in 1992?

On the face of it, this shift to the right has already paid dividends. In the presidential election three years ago Barack Obama romped to victory with 365 electoral-college votes, 192 more than Mr McCain, and almost 53% of the popular vote. Since then, however, the Republicans have experienced an almost miraculous resurrection.

In the mid-terms of November 2010 they won control of the House of Representatives, an extra six seats in the Senate and six more state governorships, bringing the total number of state houses under Republican management to 29 out of 50. They have an excellent chance in November next year of capturing the Senate, and a fair chance of grabbing the White House, turning Mr Obama into the first one-term president since George Bush senior. An average of polls maintained by RealClearPolitics, a website, suggests that 44.8% of voters intend to vote for a Republican in 2012 and 41.8% for Mr Obama. To a degree, they owe this turnaround to luck—Mr Obama’s bad luck.

Allegations Against Cain

In the past week or so, Herman Cain has been accused of harassing several women sexually. He claims they are not true, however, the presence of these allegations has taken a negative toll on his campaign. People are not very comfortable with the idea that he could have this skeleton in his closet even though he denies it every time it is brought up. He knows that he needs to win back credibility which he began to address in his press conference. There is some tough evidence that is working against Cain: he has been a party to two settlements of women in the past. The lawyer of one of the women told New York Times that it was similar to the story of the Chicago woman who spoke out this week about Cain sexually harassing her. She said, "I respected him, I looked up to him. And it was shocking to me that he would use that power in such a way." His story has changed several times about details of the situations, but he is not giving in to the allegations.

"Cain Rejects Latest Allegations." New York Times. Nov. 8 2011.

Who's Lying?

With all the allegations against Herman Cain of Sexual Harassment, this is my one question. Although four women have come out and made claims against Herman Cain, with one explicitly telling her story of how Cain harassed her, Cain remains adamant that he is innocent of these claims, stating today that the accusations against him "simply didn't happen," and that the claims against him are "part of a coordinated effort to attack his character and derail his campaign." Although it is a bit hard to believe that a coordinated attack on his campaign of this magnitude with lies this strong and convincing could be pulled off, it's also extremely hard to believe that a candidate of Herman Cain's magnitude, with the place he is in right now, would directly lie about claims of this nature; if he did, it would certainly come back to bite him. Maybe it will, but to me it seems that, either this is a cover-up which Cain is trying to orchestrate essentially by himself without even letting his staff in on the truth, or Cain is innocent of the claims. Either way, this is a story which I can't see turning out in any way but a loss of support for Cain, if for no other reason than this is all people have heard of Cain for the past few weeks, and all people will hear of him for then next few weeks. It's not the change Herman Cain will bring to America; it's the (supposed) sexual harassment Herman Cain has committed. At a time when so many are still trying to form their opinions of him, this could seriously affect his chances of being nominated, regardless of whether the claims against him are true or false. Unfortunately for Cain, his slate is tarnished in the minds of many voters, and if he theoretically was awarded the nomination, many choosing between Obama and Cain would choose Obama merely because of the perception they have of Cain in their minds. Regardless of the truth or falsehood to the claims, I don't see any scenario at this point where Cain can completely recover from this and go on to become the next President of the United States.

Source: Washington Post.

Accusing Cain

Herman Cain on Tuesday vigorously denied new claims of sexual harassment, calling a press conference in Arizona to declare the latest alleged incident "simply did not happen." The Republican presidential candidate said he didn't even recognize the woman, Sharon Bialek, who a day earlier claimed he made unwanted sexual advances toward her 14 years ago.

"The charges and the accusations, I absolutely reject. They simply didn't happen. They simply did not happen," Cain said. Cain, reading slowly and deliberately from notes for 10 minutes before taking questions from the media, said he has "never acted inappropriately with anyone -- period." Declaring that he will stay in the 2012 race, Cain specifically addressed the charges leveled most recently by Bialek. Though Bialek said Cain sexually harassed her when she came to him about a job while he was heading the National Restaurant Association, Cain said that he was seeing her "for the very first time" when he watched her press conference on Monday.

On Tuesday, Cain at first blamed the "Democrat machine" for bringing forward Bialek, a woman whom he described as "troubled" -- she has a history of financial problems, though she says she hasn't been offered money for coming forward. Pressed by Fox News to elaborate, Cain conceded he doesn't know who might be behind the allegations.

"We can only infer that someone is basically trying to wreck my character," Cain said.

Obama's Health Care Law upheld again

A federal court in Washington has held that President Obama's health care law is constitutional. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia dismissed a claim from a Christian legal group that a provision in the law requiring almost all Americans to get health insurance, known as the individual mandate, violates the Constitution. The opinion was written by Judge Laurence Silberman who is known as a conservative. The suit was just one of several that have sought to have the law brought down. Of four appellate court rulings on the health care law so far, this is the third to deal with the law on the merits, and the second that upholds it a tally compiled by Kaiser Health News. It's almost certain that the issue will be resolved by the Supreme Court, perhaps as early as June 2012.

Charlotte Elections

In local news, the Charlotte Municipal Elections where held today. The UNofficial results where recently released with the Democratic party winning CITY OF CHARLOTTE STRAIGHT PARTY category.This is fitting for the Democratic National Convention which is in 2012. The Democratic party of Charlotte will try to gain more support as the Convention nears. However the Municipal Elections held had a 2.1% voter turnout this year one of the lowest it has been in several years. The Democratic Party's is hoping that their big 70 to 30% win will help them gain more support in the coming year.
Source: Charlotte Observer Online

Municipal:of or pertaining to a town or city or its local government: municipal elections.

p.s. The lady who I helped with her campaign for town board was elected and had the most votes in Davidson

Will Romney's "Smart" Campaigning Win Over Iowa?

"If Romney doesn't try very hard and somehow ends up winning Iowa, the race is pretty much over." This quote from Davide Peterson of Iowa State University as GOP candidates Mitt Romney and Herman Cain fight for their name in Iowa. However, Romney has a very different approach to the campaigning process this year compared to his other competitors. As his GOP competitors run all over the country campaigning, Romney would rather make fewer trips (only four so far) as he tries to secure his seat in the presidential election. This strategy is working for him so far, as a poll from the Washington Post shows his high chance of electability. Peterson says that Romney's campaign has "been smart to watch all of these candidates get their moment in the sun and he states where he is." This "smart" approach may or may not lead Romney to the presidency, but it definitely makes him stand out at least for now, and will hopefully continue to win him votes.

Obama's Approval Ratings - Still Under 50%

Sunday was the beginning of the one-year countdown to the 2012 presidential election. A CNN "Poll of Polls" released yesterday reveals that Obama's approval rating is still under 50%. According to this Poll, 45% of Americans approve of the way Obama has done his job and 51% disapprove. Though these ratings do not predict next year's election, they are useful in determining Obama's chances in next year's election. Just because 51% of Americans don't approve of Obama, that doesn't mean that those 51% of Americans are going to vote for the Republican candidate next year. They are more likely to either stay at home on election day or vote for a third-party candidate. This "Poll of Polls" is an average of three national polls taken from Gallup, ABC/Washington Post, and Reuters/Ipsos. Some reasons his approval rating might be so low are the slow-to-recover economy and the repeated standoffs with Congress. Having a Republican-led House of Representatives is not helping Obama. Will Obama be able to bring his approval ratings up before next year's election or will they remain below 50%?

Perry & Palin

Texas Governor and Republican candidate Rick Perry has had a rough time in recent debates which has led to a drop in the polls and in popularity. In order to save his campaign, Perry is teaming up with Sarah Palin who has agreed help Perry make a come back. Sarah Palin's endorsements would give Perry more street cred (Commanding a level of respect in an urban environment due to experience in or knowledge of issues affecting those environments) among tea party constituents, generate large crowds and fill his campaign coffers till overflowing. In return for her help, Perry must be willing to meet Palin's demands. Palin believes this will give her new found relevance - more photo ops, more speeches, more television interviews and more chances to flex her muscles - since she's not in the race herself. Perry's Texas charm coupled with Palin's rock-star status would get everyone talking about the Texan as a viable candidate again. With front-runner Herman Cain sidetracked by the recent revelation of sexual harassment allegations leveled at him while he ran the National Restaurant Association in the 1990s, the timing for a Perry-Palin alliance could not be better.

Sexual Harassment Claims Against Herman Cain

To many, it seemed inevitable--eventually something would come up that would potentially slow the surge of Republican Presidential nominee seeker Herman Cain. As he is relatively unknown even now in the political world, many expected that there would be skeletons in the closet so to speak which would emerge as Cain's life became more and more of a public matter. Those skeletons right now are accusations against Cain of sexual harassment which actually occurred in the 1990s, but the issue right now is that the woman who claimed this is under a binding no disclosure agreement which she signed upon leaving the National Restaurant Association, of which Cain was President from 1996-1999. Because of this, she is barred from relating her side of the story, which she now wants to release to the media after Cain said last week that the allegations against him were "false and baseless." Joel P. Bennett, the lawyer representing one of the two women who made claims against Cain, is "calling on the association to waive the agreement so the woman, a federal worker living in suburban Maryland, can rebut Cain’s statements." This is certainly a story to follow as it plays out as it could potentially play a major role in the campaign of Herman Cain, and has the potential to slow the momentum Cain currently has.

Accusation vs. Cain

As Herman Cain rose in the polls this week for the GOP nomination...accusations have come out that he had been accused of sexual harassment. Although Cain denies that he had ever been involved in sexual relations or made any advances with any women. However will this destroy Cains reputation? Many of Cains supporters are questioning his morals. However why did this accusation come out this late in his candidacy?

Justice Department Sues South Carolina

On Monday the federal government filed a lawsuit looking to stop enactment of South Carolina's tough new immigration law, arguing that the legislation that requires law officers to check suspects' immigration status is unconstitutional. The government wants a judge to stop enforcement of the legislation, which would require the police to check the immigration status of every person they detain. In a written statement, Attorney General Eric Holder said Monday his department will not hesitate to challenge laws that interfere with the federal government's enforcement of immigration. A spokesman for Gov. Nikki Haley said the state would continue with plans to implement the law. "It is understandable that communities remain frustrated with the broken immigration system, but a patchwork of state laws is not the solution and will only create problems," Holder said.

Sources: New York Times and Fox news

Cain's Campaign Down the Drain?

Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain was accused Monday of sexual harassment during the time he led a restaurant-industry trade association in the late 1990's. Despite these claims, however, Cain states that they are "totally baseless and totally false". Unfortunately for him though, there are varying theories about what "actually" happened. Some claim that he made inappropriate advances and even went as far as inviting the woman to his room. However, others state that he did no such thing, and their conversation was nothing but innocent, and there was nothing inappropriate involved. This piece of information was uncovered at a not-so-opportune-time, due to Cain's recent lead in several polls for the GOP contest. Even though this seems like bad advertising for a presidential candidate, Cain claims confidently that it will not affect his campaign. I guess we'll see.

BofA & Occupy Wall Street

In September, Bank Of America announced that it would begin charging customers a monthly $5 fee early next year. However, after widespread customer revolt and announcements by several Bofa rivals that they won't charge similar debit-card fees, Bank of America rethought its plan. The debit card fees these institutions originally planned to charge sparked pledges by thousands of consumers to move their money out of big banks.

Occupy Wall Street had been calling for consumers to celebrate "Dump Your Bank Day" next week. The Progressive Change Campaign Committee said it got more than 51,000 people to pledge to take their money out of major financial institutions, with 21,500 consumers planning to remove their money from Bank of America specifically. While these groups say the decision by banks to scrap the debit-card fee is a step in the right direction, it doesn't mean consumers are going to be running back to their banks in droves. "This shows that when the public fights back together against Wall Street, we can make progress -- but the fight is nowhere close to over," said Adam Green, co-founder of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee. "Bank of America and other Wall Street banks broke the law, ruined our economy, and cost people their jobs, their homes, and their life savings ... By moving our money, we will make these irresponsible banks less 'too big to fail.'"

Occupy Iowa Caucus

Occupy Wall Street activists are planning to amass in Iowa one week before the Iowa caucuses. They plan to occupy every presidential candidates office and shut them down until they start talking about the real issues that are going on in America. This idea was presented by a group of Occupy Des Moines activists. Between December 27 and January 3 are the supposed dates for this plan. In response to these activists, the Iowa Democratic Party said that Obama was "working hard to strengthen middle class while the Republicans want to let Wall Street write their own rules and return to the same failed economic policies". The Iowa Republican Party didn't respond. According to Ivers, this plan is a fruitless effort. All it will do is create more hours for the Des Moines police department. It really is a futile plan. Though their frustrations are understandable, their methods are not.

Cain Smoking

Herman Cain insisted Sunday that his now-viral campaign video featuring chief of staff Mark Block dragging on a cigarette was not meant to send a message that smoking is cool. "One of the themes within this campaign is let Herman be Herman," Cain said. "Mark Block is a smoker and we say let Mark be Mark. Let people be people." "Young people of America, all people, do not smoke. It is hazardous and it's dangerous to your health. Don't smoke," Cain said. At Schieffer's behest he added: "It is not a cool thing to do." Cain said he won't take down the video from his campaign's YouTube channel, noting that even if he did it would still be available elsewhere on the InternetThe candidate estimated "about 30%" of the reaction to the ad was similar to Schieffer's (the guy questioning him on it) objections.

The Homeless Occupy Wall Street

Among protesters camping out in the Occupy movements, a growing number of homeless people have been occupying the campgrounds with them. Many suffer from mental illness as well as physical needs. They know that if they come and join the movement, they will be provided the same amenities as non-homeless protesters. That means food, shelter, protection, and company with others. Non-homeless protesters who have been camping out have felt that the homeless have created more harm than good. Yes, they add a voice because there are so many homeless people wanting to join, approximately 30% of the protesters lately have consisted of them. However, mental illness has constituted a problem with disruptiveness, and a lot of people don't feel safe at night with so many homeless people around. Disruptive demonstrators were thrown out of the campground and sent to the Peachtree-Pine homeless shelter. The act gave the demonstration more of a political focus, and not incidentally expanded its size. It has been found that many homeless people believe in the same goals as the Occupy protesters while others are merely trying to find provisions any way they can. Michele Watson, one of the managers of the food tent, said in reference to the homeless people, "If you are hungry and are in need of a meal, we will serve you as long as you do not disrupt the occupiers. We don’t turn anyone away. I don’t care what your address is."

Government Distrust

A recent New York Times/CBS News Poll reveals some striking information--distrust of government is at its highest level right now than ever before in our nation's history. Our President's disapproval rating is currently at 46 percent, and Congress's approval rating has dropped to a mere 9 percent. These are striking statistics especially as we move into the 2012 election year. Which candidate will be able to get the confidence of the american people, making them believe that they will be able to turn things around? It is a question which remains to be answered. Will Obama be able to regain the trust which he has lost over his time as this nation's president, or will it be a yet to be determined Republican candidate, offering a fresh approach and new ideas for governing the nation? Regardless of who ends up winning the election, it seems that one of the deciding factors will certainly be which candidate is able to gain the trust of the American people.

Source: New York Times.

Herman Cain's Abortion Flip-Flop

Herman Cain was interviewed by CNN's Piers Morgan this last week and when being asked about the issue of abortion, Cain responded by saying “I believe that life begins at conception, and abortion under no circumstances." However a few months before he said "it ultimately gets down to a choice that that family or that mother has to make". Cain has recently emerged as a serious candidate and many Anti-Abortion Republicans are questioning his abortion views. However, back in 2007 when President Obama was running he at first argued against abortion when he was running in the primaries. But later once Obama got the nomination he argued for pro-choice. Does this mean candidates agree with there parties views of abortion after they are criticized?

Perry’s Economic Plan

Presidential candidate Rick Perry of Texas unveiled a plan on Tuesday to scrap the graduated income tax and replace it with a 20 percent flat rate while granting a major tax cut for the wealthy by throwing out rates as high as 35 percent and eliminating estate and investment taxes. Mr. Perry said his proposal would also offer benefits to middle-class Americans by giving a $12,500 deduction for every member of a household while preserving exemptions for state and local taxes, mortgage interest and charitable contributions for anyone making less than $500,000. He said anyone could still file under the current code, and he also pledged to lower the corporate tax rate to 20 percent, from 35 percent. “Taxes will be cut on all income groups in America,” said Mr. Perry, “The net benefit will be more money in Americans’ pockets, with greater investment in the private economy instead of the federal government.”

Sources: CNN and Washington Post

Gadhafi gone

The death of Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi reinforces Obama’s style of dealing with enemies without immersing the United States in war.Even skeptics offered grudging support.For Obama, the outcome allowed him to stand victorious in the Rose Garden on Thursday, taking note also of the death this year of prominent al-Qaida leaders at the hands of the United States. His message: The United States showed it can help rally an international campaign to protect Libyans and rid the world of a killer without a single American dying.For Obama, the larger story is of an administration with deepening credibility on how to handle bad actors or international tinderboxes without immersing the United States in war.It is not expected to impact his re-election chances; 2012 will be the economy election.

Obama's Foreign Policy Successes

Unlike democrats in recent decades, Obama will most likely not be accused of being "soft and inexperienced on military and foreign policy issues". In 2008 Obama was no different from the democrats before him. Now, on the other hand, he has been made "seemingly invulnerable to the quadrennial Republican attack line". Ever since the Vietnam war democrats have been affixed with an anti-war reputation. During Obama's three years he has been able to shed this reputation. Through the killings of Osama bin Laden, Anwar al-Awlaki, and the topping of the Gadhafi regime Obama has been able to achieve foreign policy success. However, if the bin Laden mission had failed Obama would be in the same position as the democrats before him and would be labeled as weak and ineffective.Will his successes matter during election time next year? Or will the dissatisfaction with unemployment and slow economic recovery outweigh any benefits for him? Besides being insulated from the charge of being "soft on defense" what other benefits are there for Obama's foreign policy successes? Overall, I believe Obama's foreign policy approach will bolster him in the election next year.

Republicans Make Judicial Power an Issue

Many Republican candidates in the 2012 election continually campaign against the increased power in the judicial system. Moving into Iowa and South Carolina, the Tea Party movement has created a receptive audience for candidates who raise doubts about whether the court system is hindering the causes that these voters believe in. They believe that the courts especially the Supreme Court have too much power. Various candidates have expressed opinions about the Court's participation in their term served, in their decision of same-sex marriage, and whether the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit should exist at all.

"These threats go far beyond normal campaign season posturing,” said Bert Brandenburg, executive director of Justice At Stake, a research and advocacy group that seeks to protect judicial independence. “They sound populist, but the proposal is to make courts answer to politicians and interest groups.” But then Marjorie Dannenfelser countered Brandenburg's statement.“I don’t think it’s an anticourt movement,” Ms. Dannenfelser said. “It’s a purifying of the court — trying to return it to where it should be.” However people take it, it seems as though the Republicans have more favor in their campaign ideas to reduce the power of the judicial system.

National Bi-literacy = Un-American?

At Coral Way Elementary School in Miami, FL, students are immersed in both English and Spanish. Before lunch, all of the classes are taught in Spanish, and after lunch, they switch to English. This particular decision was part of the after-affects of the Cold War, where several refugees fleeing from Fidel Castro resided in Florida. So, naturally, the school promotes Spanish just as much as English so that the children won't forget their Cuban roots. However, there are some states (such as California, Arizona, Colorado, and Massachusetts) that have banned "bi-literacy" --the term for not just speaking, but reading and writing spanish--in schools because they think it is un-American. Although this might be the opinion among those Americans, there is a vast majority arguing that, due to the increasing number of spanish-speaking immigrants, it is actually becoming invaluable to be able to know both English and Spanish. So much so that there are many companies that hire people based on their ability to speak not just english, but Spanish as well. This "melting pot" that we have come to embrace about our country is every day giving more and more reasons why bi-literacy is not just a "plus" but also expected by many businesses and, now, public schools. Is it un-American to have two national languages? I don't think so. In my opinion, everything that America stands for--life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness--can be strengthened by a bilingual population. And as Rosa de la O states: "it opens the door to the American Dream".

--

Source: NPR-- Two Languages, Many Voices, "In Miami, School Aims For 'Bi-Literate' Education"

Affects of Gadhafi's death on U.S. Politics

Following Gadhafi's death Thursday, Obama pledged his support to Libya's future and was celebrating this "momentous day in the history of Libya". However, many people are wondering about the president's own future. It is ironic that Obama, who was elected largely for domestic concerns has payed a lot of attention to foreign affairs, while his approval ratings on state issues continues to sink deeper. Many presidents often drift more into foreign policy initiatives, both as a way to boost their legacies and make a big impact. But the question is, what impact will his overseas successes have on his standing -- and re-election prospects -- here at home? With a struggling economy, terrorism and war are not exactly on the top of the agenda. The most important issue on Americans' minds is not foreign affairs, but unemployment and jobs. Domestic issues reign supreme, and so it's hard to say that the credit Obama will get for these successes abroad will be enough to turn back the tide of his sinking poll numbers.

Occupy Problems

With many protests across the world with the whole the "occupy" motto becoming more popular, many people are becoming concerned with the direction countries could be headed. However there are many flaws with the "Occupy" protests.
-There is no leader for the protests. In past rebellions there where leaders like Vladimir Lenin and Mao
-Occupy protests have no direct demands. Although they argue for social equality and no more big government...they have no clear direct demands.
-What do they expect to achieve? Occupy protesters aren't sure what they will get from the government or Wall Street.
These are few problems with the occupy protests. Does this mean that they won't succeed? No, but it does hamper there validity in their protests.
Source CNN TV

Deficit Panel: Not much progress

The 12-member bipartisan committee is just over halfway through the 76-day interval from its first meeting to the date its final report is due on Nov. 23, but has made very few decisions. The lawmakers have not agreed on basic elements like a benchmark against which savings will be measured. The panel’s members, evenly divided between the two parties, spent most of September in a standoff. Republicans refused to budge from their position against new taxes. Democrats said they would not discuss cuts to entitlement programs like Medicare unless Republicans made a firm commitment to accept additional revenues. They have said very little publicly about their discussions or whether any progress has been made on the politically explosive issues of tax hikes and spending cuts for government healthcare and retirement programs. Several committee members said they were afraid of failure. They know that voters, investors and credit-rating agencies will take the panel’s work as evidence of how well Congress functions. Failure by the super committee to reach agreement would trigger $1.2 trillion in spending cuts, starting in 2013, evenly divided between military and domestic programs.

The Target on Herman Cain's back

Emerging from the pack of republican nominee seekers over the past few weeks has been Herman Cain, the former Godfather Pizza CEO who brings a unique style to the race and has captured the attention of many in our nation. Cain, with his 9-9-9 tax plan and his strong performances in each of the GOP debates up to this point, has managed to jump into a close second, passing Rick Perry and currently sitting close to Mitt Romney. Although Cain, as shown by Gallup, is only the sixth most recognizable of the GOP candidates, he has captured the interest of many who have discovered him, and finds himself in an unfamiliar situation going into tonight's debate: he is now the target. Whereas Cain previously went into each of the debates as a middle of the pack candidate whom most had small expectations for, he now goes into tonight's debate as the one everybody wants to know more about. He can expect his answers to be scrutinized more fully, his opponents to question his reasoning and views more in-depth, and his journey for the nomination to get a whole lot tougher as a result. Herman Cain remains largely unknown right now, and finds himself at an absolutely pivotal point in his campaign--people are trying to discover more about him. Will he impress and continue to increase his following, or will his inexperience on issues such as foreign policy scare people away? Will he do enough to remove people's doubts that an individual with virtually no political experience can handle the white house? These and others are certainly viable questions, and I would argue that the way Cain responds to these questions over the next few weeks will be crucial in determining the final course of his campaign.

Sources: Gallup, Washington Post.

"Civil", right?

This whole "Occupy Wall street" thing has been going on for awhile now and I think it's important people start paying attention. But to also realize what it is. Essentially it's a bunch of angry middle class Americans frustrated with the economy and figure it must be "the Man's" fault. And while I believe what they're doing is helping somewhat (bringing attention to the fact that something has to be done) they're not really helping themselves really anyone else by doing it. Away from their jobs and causing chaos in New York, they are not helping the problem.
This is also something that could spiral out of control very quickly, especially since there is no recognized leader of these people. And with the nervous and anxious NYPD reacting the way it has there really is no telling what will happen next.
I think it's fitting that this sort of "civil rights" movement is happening alongside the opening of the Martin Luther King Jr. monument. And how certain comparisons can be made between the two, if to a somewhat lesser degree.

GOP Debate

Tonight at 8:00 there will be a debate in Los Vegas between seven of the top presidential candidates. A lot is at stake for these candidates. In the past month Romney and Cain have increased their numbers while Perry has significantly decreased. Tonight will be an intense debate for most of the candidates.
Cain might have to clarify why he said that he was going to have a fence 20 feet high, have barbed wire on top, and be electrified. Was he just joking or was he serious? If he was joking, then like Bachmann said, "This is not a joke. It is a serious issue".
Tonight will also give the other candidates a chance to fire away at Romney, the front-runner. His conservative credentials will most likely be questioned. But as Castellanos says, "These attacks just bounce off his force field and he comes out stronger and more presidential in every debate". Will he be able to maintain his lead after the debate tonight or will the other candidates tear him down?
Texas gov. Rick Perry needs a very strong debate tonight. Perry has admitted that debates are not his strong suit. This is part of why he has faded in the polls. If tonight is another weak debate for him he may be out of the race for good. In order to have a strong debate, Perry needs to explain how he would create jobs and growth. Cain has already done this with his 9-9-9 plan. Because of Cain's 9-9-9 plan, he is now one of the front-runners of the race. If Perry can explain how he would create jobs and growth he might be able to boost his numbers.
For Bachmann, the debate tonight brings another opportunity for her to try to jump-start her campaign. After having been overshadowed by Perry, Bachmann needs to jump-start her campaign again. Will she be able to do that in the debate tonight?
For Santorum the debate tonight gives another opportunity to go on the attack and criticize his opponents.
You can expect little more than lines that will get applause from the audience for Newt Gingrich. He excels at debates but has not been able to monopolize on his debate successes.
Out of the seven candidates, Ron Paul has the least on the line tonight. Regardless of his debate performances, he has still been able to energize his supporters.
Huntsman, on the other hand, is not even going to the debate tonight. Huntsman is placing all his chips on New Hampshire and boycotting the showdown to protest Nevada's decision to hold its caucus on January 14. Nearly every debate has had an impact on the polls in the race for the nomination. Not getting any TV exposure is a heavy price that Huntsman is willing to pay.
Tonight's showdown will be very important for each of the candidates.

Obama Losing Voters?

Contrary to what some Pro-bama voters may think, from recent analysis in preparation for the upcoming election, Obama may not have the presidency in the bag. Due to recent polling and surveying of public opinions on the 2012 election, Republicans are much more enthusiastic about voting that Democrats. Fifty-nine percent of voters don't even believe that Obama's policies will be successful in the future (a statistic that has gone up from 47% in 2010). That leaves only 36% of voters rooting for Obama. Now, these are simply estimates based on broad polls to gain a general perspective on the situation. However, most of the time they are very near to the truth of the matter. Still, we can throw around numbers all day and try to guess the turnout of the election, but no one will know anything for certain until next term. Either way, Obama should not only be aware of this situation, but possible worried for the weight that his candidacy will pull in 2012.

Lying: First Amendment Right?

A case was taken up based on whether or not one can say they have earned a military award when they know it is a falsity and have it protected under the First Amendment. It began with the prosecution of Xavier Alvarez who violated a 2005 law, the Stolen Valor Act when he falsely claimed to have been awarded a Congressional Medal of Honor. The Act prohibited anyone to falsely say that one has “been awarded any decoration or medal authorized by Congress for the armed forces of the United States.” But Alvarez then claimed that it was not illegal because he what he said was protected under the First Amendment rights (free speech). The justices ruled that it was illegal because nowhere in the Constitution did it protect things people say that they know to be false.

Then it got interesting. A panel in the US Court of Appeals reversed the ruling. Judge Milan D. Smith Jr. said, “There would be no constitutional bar to criminalizing lying about one’s height, weight, age or financial status on Match.com or Facebook, or falsely representing to one’s mother that one does not smoke, drink alcoholic beverages, is a virgin, or has not exceeded the speed limit while driving on the freeway. The sad fact is,” he continued, “most people lie about some aspects of their lives from time to time.” They felt that if they made it illegal to lie about earning something they didn't really earn, it would have to be illegal to lie about all "white lies, exaggerations, and deceptions."

However, some people want Alvarez to be retried because they feel that Congress is entitled “to guard against dilution of the reputation and meaning of the medals.” They aren't planning to, though, because the Chief Justice John G. Roberts is one who usually favors free speech cases which appears to be the case in United States v. Alvarez.

Occupy Wall Street

The Occupy Wall Street movement, which swept across the United States as thousands demanded that government institutions change to help fix a struggling economy, gained a major boost as the world began to come together in solidarity over shared economic frustrations. Protests have lasted for 31days and many are wondering how long a leaderless, vaguely defined movement will last. With the help of continued economic discontent, growing media coverage, and the use of internet and social media in bringing possible demonstrators together, the movement seems to be gaining speed. Over the weekend, 19 more people were arrested in Washington, D.C., by Supreme Court police, while over 90 were taken into police custody in New York. There are several causes, but the main theme remains the same: populist anger over an out-of-touch corporate, financial, and political elite. Many are wondering whether Occupy Wall Street will eventually become a liberal counterweight to the conservative populism of the tea party movement. If the tea party was a conservative response to President Barack Obama's economic bailout plan in the spring of 2009, Occupy Wall Street came about partly due to liberals' reaction to the outcome of this summer's bitter debt-ceiling debate. Obama and other top Democrats ultimately agreed to over $2 trillion in spending cuts without any tax hikes on Wall Street financiers or others considered responsible for the economic crisis.

I thought this was interesting considering that we've been studying the influences of public opinion on what politicians pay attention to and the importance of political elites.

Source: CNN

Chris Christie Will Not Run for GOP Nomination

Just this afternoon, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, whom many had speculated would jump into the race for the GOP nomination and really shake things up a bit, announced that he will not be running for the nomination. This move disappointed many, as Christie, were he to get the GOP nomination, seemed to be the best candidate against Obama. As stated by David Paul Kuhn, "The first-term governor was strong where the most likely Republican nominees are weak. Christie was a Rorschach test for conservatives’ continued unease with the current GOP field." With Christie now out of the discussion, the field seems to be set barring a late Sarah Palin entry, which seems extremely unlikely at this point.

In addition to Christie's announcement, the last week has seen significant movement for Rick Perry and Herman Cain in the polls, negative for Perry and positive for Cain. Nearly all of the recent polls have Perry and Cain nearly equal, and some, such as CBS News' National President poll, have Cain up on Perry by 5 percent. Although we'll obviously see much more change in these numbers as the race goes on, Cain's jump is very significant and he provides an interesting opponent to the frontrunner Mitt Romney. The movement of Cain will be very interesting to follow as the campaigns progress.

Sources: http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2011/10/04/what_the_christie_craze_means___111567.html

http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/with-christie-out-will-romney-or-perry-prosper/2011/10/04/gIQADnzqLL_story.html?hpid=z1

We'll Miss Chris ):

After wrestling with the decision on whether or not to run for the presidency, republican New Jersey Governor Chris Christie has finally chosen to stay out of the election this year, simply stating that "Now is not my time". This decision was a rather large, yet not unexpected blow to some Republicans who were hopping to equip themselves with a strong opponent who could stand a good chance against Obama. They thought that because of Christie's tough, blunt personality, he might be that representative. However, it looks like the GOP candidate race will remain a toss up between Perry and Romney, as their rivalry continues to flourish.

Sources -

CNN

NPR

The New York Times

New GOP Bids

Rick Perry’s fading, Herman Cain’s surging and what about Mitt Romney? He’s running in place. After a quick rise in the race for the Republican presidential nomination, Texas Gov. Rick Perry has experienced an almost equally dramatic decline, losing about half of his support over the past month, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll. Perry’s slide, which comes after several uneven performances in candidate debates, has allowed former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney to resurface atop the GOP field. But the most direct beneficiary of the disenchantment with Perry is businessman Herman Cain, who is now tied for second place. Rick Perry’s support has plummeted from 29 percent last month to 16 percent in October. Herman Cain, who quadrupled his support in the span of one month, has blasted off from 4 percent in September to 16 percent in today’s poll. In September, Romney was the choice of 25 percent of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents in our poll, and one month later, he’s still the choice of 25 percent of them. Although not fully satisfied with their choices, Republicans are optimistic about their chances of winning the election. More than eight in 10 say the eventual GOP nominee is likely to beat President Obama next year. In the new poll, Obama’s approval remained at a low point in his presidency.

Deficit Reduction

Just recently, a 12-member congressional "supercommittee" is going to start to try to rein in the out of control deficits. This "supercommittee" is made up of 6 House members and 6 senators. Most of them were appointed to the committee because their careers have exhibited party loyalty. They have until November 23 to find $1.5 trillion in deficit cuts over the next decade. Cutting $1.5 trillion off the deficit through 2021 will only reduce projected federal spending no more than 4%. In order to achieve this $1.5 trillion reduction "both sides are fairly entrenched in the positions they've held all year". The conservatives want to shrink the size of the government and tackle the main driver's of the nation's debt (entitlements). Liberals believe that revenues are needed in order to solve the problem. John Boehner believes that tax increases are destroying jobs. Republicans also believe that taxes need to be cut. If the supercommittee fails, an automatic across the board spending cut equal to $1.2 trillion would be triggered. This would be especially hard on the military. Will the supercommittee work together and achieve this goal?

Solyndra

Despite costly failure, the Obama administration pours billions into alternative energy companies such as Solyndra. Obama's is committed to green jobs and the U.S. Department of Energy is backing almost $40 billion in loans. Monday Obama said he does not regret a half-billion dollar government loan to the now-bankrupt solar energy company Solyndra and vigorously defended his administration’s policy of providing assistance to similar entities. The government has hired SolarCity to work at 124 U.S. Military bases over the next five years, installing 160,000 housing units, warehouses, and administrative buildings. According to the Department of Energy, one of its goals is to support novel technologies such as these that are “not yet supported in the commercial marketplace”. Solyndra's failure illustrates that private investors aren't willing to shoulder financing these risky projects. Market forces and cheap solar panels from China kept Solyndra from being a profitable power option even while $535 million in loans guarantees kept the company afloat. After the Department of Energy refused Solyndra more loans, the company filed for bankruptcy with $784 million in debt. After Solyndra claimed they were bankrupt, Obama was asked whether or not he regretted the $535 million in loans in 2009. “No I don’t,” the president said, “Because if you look at the overall portfolio of loan guarantees that had been provided, overall it’s doing well. And what we always understood is that not every single business is going to succeed in clean energy.”

Sources: World & CNN

Civil Right to Speech

Hank Williams Jr., the guy who does the opening song to Monday night football, exercised his right to speech to a weird extent on Monday. In an interview Monday morning on Fox's "Fox & Friends," Williams, unprompted, said of Obama's outing to golf with House Speaker John Boehner: "It'd be like Hitler playing golf with (Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu."
He was asked to clarify and he said, "they're the enemy" adding that by "they" he meant Obama and Biden. The anchor later said to him, "You used the name of one of the most hated people in all of the world to describe, I think, the president." Williams replied, "Well, that is true. But I'm telling you like it is." He also said that Obama and Biden were like the three stooges.
Here we see freedom of speech in action. In most countries being compared to Hitler is no small offense.
Williams released a statement through his publicist, saying: "Some of us have strong opinions and are often misunderstood. My analogy was extreme — but it was to make a point. I was simply trying to explain how stupid it seemed to me — how ludicrous that pairing was. They're polar opposites and it made no sense. They don't see eye-to-eye and never will. I have always respected the office of the president."

2012 Election: The "Underdog"

President Obama spoke in an ABC news interview saying how he's absolutely the "underdog" in this competition, but that he's used to it. In the interview, he also said that Americans will re-elect him because they will see he has “a vision for the future that can actually help ordinary families recapture that American dream.” Mr. Christie, a New Jersey governor, disagrees. He doesn't think, as most Americans don't, that Mr. Obama has been successful in unifying us as a nation. Obama has been shrugging off comments like that for awhile. He uses the excuse that Gov. Christie could potentially decide to run as a Republican candidate, and that the things he has been saying would just be to boost himself in the polls. And, actually, they might. Taken in a Washington Post-ABC News poll, about 55% of Americans expect a Republican to win the White House, while only 37% expect Mr. Obama to be re-elected.

In an effort for Obama to not "make news", he has been avoiding answering questions about his views on topics like same-sex marriage. He says he's still working on it. Some suspect he simply doesn’t want to come out for gay marriage ahead of the 2012 election, for fear it will alienate voters who disagree. One can infer from previous events as well as what is happening currently, though, that Obama only has slim chances of making it back to the White House next year.

Democrats Worried About 2012

A recent Washington Post-ABC News poll said 55 percent of Americans expect a Republican victory next year and fewer than 37 percent, predict that President Obama will win reelection. Republicans are very confident that whoever there nominee is, will when next election. In a Bloomberg poll 34% of democrats think it would have been better for the country if Hillary Clinton hadn't lost the battle for the Democratic nomination to Obama. Many Democrats are questioning Obama and if he was the right man for the job in 2008. With the economy struggling, Obama and Democrats are very worried about reelections in 2012. Some say it is to early to give the Republicans an advantage. We see how it plays out as the election nears.

Senate Compromise Avoids Government Shutdown

For the third time this year, the Government avoided a major shutdown, this time due to a deadlock over disaster relief funding. What led to the standoff was the republicans demand that, if they were to allow the Democrats to spend 3.65 billion dollars on disaster relief funding for FEMA, the Democrats would have to cut an auto loan program popular with democrats to avoid adding significantly to the budget deficit. The showdown ended yesterday when FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) stated that they could make ends meet without the billion dollars in proposed funding this week. They will be able to use the remaining 2.65 billion beginning Saturday and running through November 18th. As a result of this, the Democrats have not had to cut the auto loan program. Many, such as Majority Leader Harry Reed, who stated that "it will be a win for everyone," are optimistic and pleased with the way the two sides met half-way on this issue. However, a conflict over how to fund FEMA and how much funding FEMA needs is one which is sure to happen soon, and compromises such as this will not always be available; something will have to be done.

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/todays_paper?dt=2011-09-27&bk=A&pg=1

Health Insurance

As the United States continues to grapple with a stubbornly weak economy, the cost of health insurance for many Americans this year has climbed more sharply than in previous years, outstripping any growth in workers’ wages and adding more uncertainty about the pace of rising medical costs. Health insurance, unlike other industrialized countries, is largely provided by employers. Although the latest Census found more Americans losing company-sponsored insurance, almost 170 million Americans were on employer-based plans in 2010. Many businesses cite the high cost of coverage as a factor in their decision not to hire, and health insurance has become increasingly unaffordable for more Americans. Over all, the cost of family coverage has about doubled since 2001, when premiums averaged $7,061, compared with a 34 percent gain in wages over the same period. A new study by the Kaiser Family Foundation shows that the average annual premium for family coverage through an employer reached $15,073 in 2011, an increase of 9 percent over the previous year. “The open question is whether that’s a one-time spike or the start of a period of higher increases,” said Drew Altman, the chief executive of the Kaiser foundation. Slowing down those soaring costs is one of the main issues on the agenda of a bipartisan congressional deficit-reduction panel that is due to make recommendations by November 23 on how to slash the U.S. budget deficit by at least $1.2 trillion.

Sarah Palin for Office?

Sarah Palin has been uncommonly quiet in the political world in the last few weeks… Fox news hasn't featured her in a while, and even her twitter and Facebook accounts show no recent activity. The reason for this, according to Tim Crawford (the chief of her political action committee), is because she is "on the verge of making her decision of whether or not to run for office."

So, will Palin run? If so, she has a lot of work to do from now until mid-October concerning her eligibility for running… For one thing, she and her team will have to send a letter of candidacy to the Secretary of State in Utah if she wants her name to appear on that state’s ballot. Then, the same must be done for Florida if she wants the Republican vote. And that's just the beginning.

If Ms. Palin does not run, however, it's said that her pick for president is Gov. Rick Perry of Texas. But the questions is this: will Palin be backing Perry in the race for president, or herself?

We shall see...